Multiple channel image exposure devices having multiple light emitting elements are used in imaging equipment to expose images on photosensitive media. Such a device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,712, which uses an array of light emitting light elements disposed within recesses formed in a substrate, with a pinhole mask, to expose an image on photosensitive media. The photosensitive media may be of the type having a plurality of microcapsules with an encapsulated image-forming material.
To form an image on a photosensitive media having microcapsules, a multiple channel image exposure device exposes certain microcapsules with at least one of the multiple light emitting elements. Exposure by the multiple channel exposure device hardens selected microcapsules. Pressure is used to rupture unexposed microcapsules. The exposed microcapsules are not broken. The ruptured microcapsules release the encapsulated image-forming material to form an image within the photosensitive material. Similar imaging forming equipment is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,440,846 and 4,339,209.
Multiple channel image exposure devices must be aligned accurately. Depending on the application and image resolution, the alignment accuracy may be required to be within a few microns to prevent image artifacts from being generated in an image formed on the photosensitive media due to misalignment of the multiple channel image exposure device. This becomes increasingly important at higher image resolution. Alignment becomes complicated and expensive as the number of imaging channels increases. Alignment is even more expensive if the alignment of each imaging channel is done manually. Thus, a there is a need for improved image quality and lower cost by improving the fabrication and alignment accuracy between the molded lenslet array and the array of multiple light emitting elements of the multiple channel image exposure device.